Chapter 5
WHIRLWIND
RORY
My criminal background check was clean, of course. It wasn’t like I got out much!
Elena was sending an Uber for me. It was a three-hour drive to Boston, where I would meet her at the AccommoDating office.
This was all happening so fast, my head was spinning.
She still hadn’t told me about the assignment—she said I had to pass the health examination and sign a non-disclosure agreement, first.
But as I packed a small overnight bag, per Elena’s instructions, I started getting cold feet. I called the Madam.
“Can you tell me anything about the client, or what I’ll actually be doing? And for how long? I have to tell my family something…”
“I can’t tell you much, for the reasons we discussed,” Elena said. “But I understand your position. There’s a lot of risk from your perspective.”
“Yes.” I was relieved she understood. “I don’t know anything about the guy, I don’t know what to tell my grandmother, I don’t know how much money I’m going to earn, or how long I’ll be gone for—”
“I just deposited fifty thousand dollars into your account, using the details you provided,” she interrupted smoothly.
“Once you come in and pass the health test, and sign the rest of the necessary documents, I’ll deposit another fifty thousand.
Consider it a rush fee. Go ahead and look. It’s all there.”
Hands shaking, I checked my banking app. Previously, I’d had a balance of seventy-five dollars and thirty-three cents, courtesy of my internet clients. But now the number read:
$50,075.33
I gaped at it.
“Rory?” Elena asked after a minute. “Are you still there?”
“Y-Yes, Elena,” I stammered. “I’m here. I saw the deposit.”
“Good. The car will be there in thirty minutes.”
“I’ll be ready. I promise.”
For better—or more likely, for worse—it was a promise I absolutely intended to keep.
My grandmother, Josie, and Bo were confounded by my abrupt announcement that I was heading to Boston for a job fair. I told them my “school” was hosting it, and that my “advisor” thought I could land a great position if I attended. And also, that they were sending an Uber for me ASAP.
My grandmother frowned at me. “Why are you packing a suitcase?”
“They said if I get hired, the position could start right away,” I said, which was at least one truth.
“And you’d be staying in Boston? Not living here?” Grammy scratched her head.
“Something like that. I don’t really know the details yet—I just want to be prepared. They said it could be really good money,” I babbled.
Grammy didn’t look convinced. “Honey, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.”
“I know.” I stopped digging for my phone charger and grabbed her hands. “I’m not going into this with rose-colored glasses. But if I get the opportunity to make money, I’m going to take it. We need it.”
She pursed her lips. “We can manage without you going away somewhere.”
“I’m twenty-two, Grammy. I can take care of myself.” I hoped.
“I don’t feel right about this,” she said.
“If it isn’t meant to be, I’ll be on the next bus home,” I said, trying to keep my voice light. I turned to Josie and Bo. “You two be good for Grammy, okay?”
“Okay,” they said solemnly.
I could tell I was breaking their hearts by leaving, but I wasn’t our mother. I got on my knees and hugged them both. “I love you, and I will be back as soon as I can.”
“Okay,” they said again. They were putting on brave faces, and now it was my heart’s turn to break.
“I promise,” I said.
I hugged my grandmother. “I’ll call you as soon as I know what’s going on. I promise.”
“I know you will, honey,” she said, but she still dabbed at her eyes.
“Miss? Miss?” The driver was watching me in the rearview mirror. “We’re here. I’ll get your bag.”
“Oh!” That broke my reverie. The drive had passed by in a blur. I’d been so busy worrying about my family and what I was getting myself into that I hadn’t even realized how long I’d been in the Uber.
Stepping out onto the bright, sunny Boston sidewalk was jarring.
I stretched my legs, feeling disoriented.
I’d left farm country, with its rolling hills and babbling brooks, and landed in an urban oasis.
The downtown neighborhood was posh and imposing, with immaculate brownstones and flower boxes bursting with blooms. Across the street, a well-dressed woman with enormous designer sunglasses was walking her coiffed, fluffy dog.
I felt woefully out of place in my stretched-out leggings, Walmart tank top, and farm-dusty flip-flops.
I wasn’t in my rinky-dink town anymore.
Help…?
I thanked the driver and peered at the buildings, feeling lost. I finally spied a small, bronze sign: AccommoDating, Inc. Grabbing my bag, I took a deep breath and rang the buzzer.
A moment later, Elena opened the door. She was taller than I expected, with short, spiky hair, a gorgeous sapphire-blue pantsuit, and flawless makeup. Her hint of perfume smelled expensive.
I shifted uncomfortably. “Elena? Hi.”
“You must be Rory. Thank you for coming down on such short notice,” she said warmly, and ushered me inside. The office was airy, bright, and so clean I felt bad about my flip-flops. “Right this way.”
I followed as her heels clicked down the hall to a conference room bathed in natural light. It boasted a table laden with delicious-looking sandwiches, salads, and desserts. My stomach snarled audibly, causing my cheeks to heat.
“Please,” Elena said, motioning to the table, “grab a plate and make yourself comfortable. I’m just going to get out my notes.
” She opened her laptop and busied herself, giving me space to ogle all the food.
There were grilled paninis and salads so pretty they looked like edible art.
I was starving and yearned to fill my plate to the brim, but I resisted.
My stretched-out leggings were bad enough; if I stuffed my face with all the free food I could get my hands on, shiny clean Elena might kick me out of her upscale office.
“The cupcakes are to die for,” Elena said while looking at her screen. “You should try one. You don’t need to be shy, Rory. Help yourself.”
“I will. Thank you,” I mumbled. I wasn’t sure why, but I felt ashamed by her simple, straightforward kindness. It was like a present that seemed too good for me.
I got up and grabbed a chocolate cupcake anyway.
“First things first,” Elena said. “I had you background checked this morning, and you passed with flying colors.”
I nodded.
“But because this client needs to hire someone today, I went a step further and had our investigative team take a look at your relations.”
My heart sank.
“Your mother has a record,” Elena said.
“I’m aware.” I lifted my chin. “But my mother’s not me. And we’re not in touch.”
“She was arrested in Nashville last week for disturbing the peace. It looks like she and her boyfriend destroyed a hotel room.” Elena frowned.
“She’s on tour with him. They like to party.” I shrugged. “Like I said, we’re not in touch.”
Elena typed something. “You mentioned you have younger siblings. Have you been taking care of them since your mother left for this tour?”
I nodded. “We’ve been living with my grandmother. She’s watching them while I’m here. I told them I was coming to the city for a job fair, and that I might stay if I got hired.”
Elena looked impressed. “Nicely done. Are you willing and able to start this assignment today, if you’re hired?”
“Yes.” I swallowed hard. “But can you tell me more about it? And how much it pays? I think I need to know that before we go any further.”
“The signing bonus is five hundred thousand dollars,” Elena said, her gaze meeting mine.
My jaw dropped.
“Are you still interested?”
Not sure that I was capable of speech, I nodded.
“Excellent.” She smiled. “But before we go further, I need you screened for health purposes. Are you willing to submit to testing and a physical exam?”
“Yes.” For five hundred thousand dollars, I would cheerfully volunteer to be Elena’s voodoo doll.
“Perfect. We can go through more intake questions, and then I’ll send the doctor in.”
“You have a doctor?” I asked.
“We have a medical service on retainer for screenings,” Elena said smoothly, and I realized that as we were talking about investigative teams, five hundred thousand dollar signing bonuses, and doctors on retainer, I was officially out of my league.
I had a bite of cupcake, which was delicious. And as Elena asked me a never-ending list of questions, I polished it off and grabbed another one.
Just fucking because.
The doctor was brisk, methodical, and all business. She took my vitals and quickly drew three vials of blood, the dark, crimson color of which almost made me pass out. Then she walked me through a checklist about my sexual history.
“I’ll make this easy for you,” I joked. “There is none.”
She arched an eyebrow. “You need to answer the history fully. The agency has a disclosure notification that we both have to attest to.”
“I am answering fully—I have no sexual history. I’m a virgin. I’ve never even kissed a guy.”
The doctor frowned. “Is abstinence part of your religious practice?”
“It’s part of my not-getting-pregnant practice,” I corrected her. “See, I already have my little brother and sister to take care of. I’ve got a full plate.”
The truth was, I would never make the same mistakes my mother made—getting pregnant with me when she was only nineteen, having my siblings years later when she still was wild and had no interest in settling down.
From the beginning, I was the one who took care of Josie and Bo, feeding them, making sure they had clean clothes to wear, and maniacally cleaning our apartment so that there were no sharp objects or liquor bottles within reach.
I was the one who’d packed them up and taken them to my grandmother’s house when my mom failed to pay rent for the umpteenth month in a row, and we finally got evicted.
“Would you be willing to submit to a physical exam so that I can confirm your virginity?”
“Is that necessary?” I asked.
“If I’m signing off on this, yes, it’s necessary,” she said. “Some of the agency’s clients are very particular about these things.”
“About what things?” I asked, lying back against the paper on the medical table she’d wheeled in.
“I’ll let Elena speak to that. Now please, relax. You’re going to feel some pressure,” she said.
A little while later, I was dressed and back in the conference room. Elena clicked in, barely contained glee on her face. “You’re a virgin?” she asked. “Why didn’t you say something?”
My cheeks heated. “Because it’s embarrassing?”
“Nonsense.” Elena beamed at me. “Clients love hiring virgins. It makes you special, Rory. It actually makes you perfect for this assignment.”
My head started to pound. “Why is that?”
“Because my client isn’t just looking for a date,” she said.
“He’s looking for a bride.”